The Ford Expedition is all new for 2018. This large sport utility vehicle is making some waves as one of the best in its class on the market today. What makes the Expedition so remarkable? To answer that question, we'll contrast this Ford to another popular large, three-row SUV: the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. You'll see what's new and awesome about the all-new Ford Expedition.
Reliability: 2018 Ford Expedition
If you own a vehicle you love, you want it to last. That's where the reliability score comes in. This score, provided by JD Power and Associates, measures how long a car will last before needing major repairs. The Expedition garnered a perfect 5 out of 5 score, proving it has exceptional resilience and can keep going and going after its competition has hit the pit.
The 2018 Chevrolet Suburban, like the Ford Expedition, is a big SUV with lots of moving parts. Unlike the Expedition, the Suburban falls below average in terms of reliability. The Chevy scored only 2.5 out of 5. That means that, on average, the Suburban will spend a lot more of its time on cement blocks than the Expedition.
Fuel Economy: 2018 Ford Expedition
Ford made its F-series trucks lighter by introducing aluminum alloy into certain pieces, such as the hood. This lightweight material helps keep the weight down, giving the pickup trucks better acceleration, handling, and fuel economy. Now Ford has done the same to the Expedition. Accordingly, the 2018 Expedition beats the previous year's model in fuel economy by 2 city and 3 highway miles per gallon. That brings us to 17 city and 24 highway miles per gallon. Welcome news in a thirsty class of car.
The 2018 Chevy Suburban has been outdone now. The Suburban's fuel economy used to be good enough to beat the Expedition, but no longer. The Suburban gets 16 city and 23 highway miles per gallon. That's not a huge difference but it just goes to show how aluminum is making a difference in the all-new Expedition.
Engines: 2018 Ford Expedition
Lightweight aside, it takes muscle to move this much metal. The engines on the 2018 Ford Expedition are more than a match for this SUV though. We're talking about its twin-turbocharged V6 engine, that produces 375 or 400 horsepower, depending on trim. That's slightly better than the 2017 model's 365 horsepower. The V6 engine is paired with an all-new 10-speed automatic transmission. When properly configured, this beast of an engine can tow up to 9,300 pounds with assistance from trailer sway control, trailer backup assist, and a trailer brake controller.
Meanwhile, the Chevy Suburban boasts a 355-horsepower V8 engine mated with a six-speed automatic transmission. The Suburban can tow up to 8,300 pounds. These are all great numbers but the Ford Expedition has them all beat.
As you can see, the Ford Expedition has it where it counts. What's changed for 2018 has changed for the better. It's reliable, powerful, and tries to keep its gas consumption under control, no small feat for a vehicle this size.